Report: Bruins Offered David Pastrnak Seven-Year Extension

BOSTON (CBS) — The Bruins recently made an offer to restricted free-agent forward David Pastrnak for six years and $36 million. Now, it’s known that Pastrnak has an option for a seventh year.

As part of his Saturday column in the Boston Globe, Kevin Paul Dupont reported that the Bruins offered Pastrnak a long-term deal worth $6 million annually. The twist is that the B’s have reportedly left it up to Pastrnak’s camp to decide whether they would sign for seven years instead of six. Prior reports had the Bruins only offering a six-year extension.

Pastrnak’s contract negotiations have ostensibly become more complicated in the wake of the Oilers’ eight-year, $68 million extension for RFA forward Leon Draisaitl. Pastrnak’s offensive numbers last season (34 goals, 70 points, plus-11 in 75 games) are similar to Draisaitl’s (29 goals, 77 points, plus-7 in 82 games) on paper, but Draisaitl could ultimately be worth more since he plays center as opposed to wing.

The Bruins’ non-rookie players who are signed for the 2017-18 season will report to training camp on Sept. 14, but the Bruins have until Dec. 1 to agree to a new deal with Pastrnak. If the two sides can’t agree by then, Pastrnak will have to sit out the season.

It would be a lose-lose situation for both sides if Pastrnak were to sit out, which makes it more likely that they would at least agree to a two-year “bridge deal” in the range of $10-12 million.

Since Bruins GM Don Sweeney has said definitively that the Bruins are not trading Pastrnak, he’s put himself in a spot to potentially pay Pastrnak a deal that reflects the current RFA market. For that reason, Pastrnak’s timing was perfect in hitting free agency.